Article dispensing device



L. STEINER r AL ARTICLE DISPENSING DEVICE July 3, 1945.

Filed Dec. 11', 1941 5 Shegts-Sheet 1 LOU/S STE/NEE PETE/Q 55775045! A TTOENEy v July 3, 1945. L. STEINER ETAL ARTICLE DISPENSING DEVICE SSheets-Sheet -2 Filed Dec. 11, 1941 I 1 I 1 I 1 1 PM .054 M F l I l N5777 15% S P m WK E 0.

- .W grroeA/sy y 1945- L. STEIN ER mm. 2,379,501 ARTICLE DISPENSINGDEVICE Filed Dec; 11, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5' INVENTORS A 00/5 5 TE/NEQPETER SET-TECASI Patented July 3, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEARTICLE DISPENSING DEVICE Louis Steiner, New York, and Peter Settecasi,

Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Assets RealizationCo.

Application December 11, 1941, Serial No. 422,538

I 7 Claims. ('01. 312-67,)

This invention relates to article dispensing devices. dispensing orVending packages of cigarettes and the like articles.

An object of this invention is to provide in a device of the characterdescribed, a main chute adapted to hold a column of articles, and anauxiliary chute adapted to hold a reserve stack of articles, and highlyimproved means, controlled by'ejection of articles from the lower end ofthe main chute, to swing the auxiliary chute into the main chute, whenthe column in the main chute has been depleted down to a predeterminedlevel.

I A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter described, adapted to dispense cigarette packages of eitherthe'king size or regular size. In such devices, the chutes are of adepth sufilcient to accommodate the king size package of cigarettes,removable means being provided to reduce the depth to accommodatecigarette packages of normal or regular length.

It is a further object of this invention to Provide a machine of thecharacter described, having means to prevent the lowermost package frombeing jogged or vibrated or loosened out of the chute when the machineis loaded with regular sized cigarette packages, which are of a lengthless than the depth of the chute.

Due to the need for savingin material, the auxiliary chute comprisesonly a back wall and one side wall, the usual opposite side wall beingeliminated, and resilient means being provided to swing the auxiliarychute forwardly when the cigarettes in the main chute are exhausted to apredetermined extent, said resilient means being so It is particularlydirected to a device forarranged as to retain the auxiliary chuteagainst twisting, and in its plane of movement.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide in a machine of thecharacter described, a removable auxiliary chute, and an improvedreleasable latch to retain the auxiliary chute in operative position.

Yet a further object of this invention is to pro,- vide a strong anddurable device of the character described, which shall be relativelyinexpensive to manufacture, smooth and positive in operation, andpractical and efiicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the variouspossible illustrative emdevice the auxiliary chute;

embodying the invention, with parts broken away and in cross-section;

Fig.- -2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line Fig. 3'isa top planview of the structure shown in Fig. 2 i

Fig. 4 is a partial rear elevational view of the structure shown in Fig.1; v

.Fig. .5 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 5.-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on; line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the lower end of .a device shown inFig. 1, andshowing the position of the parts when a package in the mainchute is being ejected, and while there are not sufficient packages inthe main chute toprevent release of Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional viewtaken on line 88' of Fig. 2, and showing the position of the parts whenthe packages in the main chute are exhausted to such an extent that uponejecting one of theremainingpackagesof cigarettes, the

auxiliary chute will be swung forwardly, and also Fig. 9 is a Viewsimilar to Fig. 7, but showing the position of the parts when theauxiliary chute is swung forwardly, so that the packages therein maypass to the lower end of themainchute;

I Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view Ill-Illof Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on line llIlofFig.8; Fig. 12 isa view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the position of thechute when thechute is empty and the auxiliary chute has been moved forwardly into themain chute for refilling;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. '7, and showing the machine whenloaded forking size packages.

Fig. 17 is a perspective'view oi the false backused in the ,narrow chutewherein the packages are loaded edgewise.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, I 0 designates an articledispensing or vending device embodying the invention, hereshown for thepurpose of illustration, as partof'a cigarette package vending machine.",The-same comprisesa base or support I l of usual construction showntaken on line,-

in dotted lines in the drawings, and including a horizontal wall I2 onwhich is mounted a cabinet or a chute unit or structure I3. The chutestructure I3 may comprise any-suitable number of chutes, a portion onlythereof being shown in the drawings by the way of illustration.

The chutestructure comprises parallel, 'vertical aligned walls I4, I5, IB and, IT. The walls I4 and I5 are spaced aparta distance equal to thedistance between the walls I6 and I1 forming therebetween similarchambers I 8'. The distance between the walls I4 and I 5 and between thewalls l5 and I1, is somewhat greater than the width of a usual packageof cigarettes. The distance between the walls I5 and I6 however is lessthan the distance between the'walls I4 and I5, such distance beingsomewhat greater than the thickness of the usual package of cigarettes.

Walls I4 and I5 have inwardly extending vertical' flanges Ma and I5a atthe rear thereof. Walls I 6 and I l have similar inwardly extendingflangesat' the rearthereofl Walls I4 and I5 have inwardly extendingflanges I41: and I5b at the front thereof, and the walls I6 and I! havesimilar, inwardly extending flanges. at the front thereof. Walls IS-and-I6 have inwardly extending flanges, I50 and His at the front thereof.The rear flanges of walls I4, I5, I6 and I! are interconnectedby' atransverse b'ar I'9; which serves to interconnect said walls. The widthof the walls I4, I5, I6 and I1 is preferably somewhat greater than twicethe length of a king size cigarette package, from a point above thelower ends of said'w'all's to the upper ends of said walls. Said wallsare of substantially half width at their lower ends; Thus, the frontportions of chambers I8 extend down further than the rear portionsthereof.- Thefiont portions of chamber I8 form the main articlechutesdesignated by numeral 20. In the main chutes, there may be king sizepackages-of cigarettes 2 I stacked and disposed substantially mid waybetween the front and rear ends of said walls.

In front of the spacer member 24', and between walls I5 and I6, is achamber 2'5 forking size packages of cigarettes 2|, and convertible in amanner hereinafter appearing for reception of regular size packages ofcigarettes.

At the rear of the lower, narrow ends of walls I4, ISIS and IT is avertical back wa'l1'26f-and at thebottom' of the rear'p'ortion' ofchamber I8, is a horizontal bottom wall 21, which extends from wall 26.Extending upwardly from the rear end of wall 21 isa wall 23 fixed to therear flanges of walls I4"; I5 I6 and H. The upper ends of walls I4, I5,I6 and H are interconnected by a transverse member 30, from which thereextends forwardly a flange 3'I' overlying and spaced above chambers I'I.Wall 21 is formed with longitudinalslots 2T0, disposed beneath the rearportions of chambers I8, and hence in the bottom of the chutes 22. Wall26 is formed with slots 26a adjacent its upper end; communicating withthe slots 21a, for the purpose hereinafter appearing. I

The lower edge of wall 26 is above wall I2, providing a space throughwhich the lowermost packages in the chutes may be ejected rearwardly.Wall 26 is furthermore formed'with a slot 26b (Fig. 10) aligned withchute or chamber to permit the lowermost package in chute 25 to bepushed rearwardly out of said chute.

The reserve chutes 22 each comprises aback wall 22a a side wall 22bcontacting a wall of chamber I 8, and a front flange 22c extending fromsaid side wall. The upper ends of back walls 22a are bent aroundtransverse pins projecting to opposite sides of said back wall andengaging the upper edges of the side walls of chambers I8, whereby tosuspend the chutes 22 within the rear portions of chambers I 8. It willbe noted that the lower ends of chutes 22 terminate somewhat above thehorizontal wall 21.

Releasable means is provided to pivotally retain the reserve chutes 22in the rear portions of chambers I8, permitting said chutes to swing ina clockwise direction, as illustrated in Fig. 8, into the main chutes20. To this end, flange 3| is formed with parallel slots 36, and fixedto said flange are angular springs 37 having down wardly extendingfingers 38 projecting through slots 36 and engaging the upper ends ofthe back walls of the chutes 22, as shown in Fig. 8. When it is desiredto refill the chutes 22, the springs 31 are lifted and the chutes 22 maythen be bodily moved forwardly toward the front portions of chambers I8.

Means is provided to adapt the chutes 22 for regular size package ofcigarettes. To this end, there is fixed to the back wall 22a, 2.longitudinally channel shaped spacer member or false back 40, havingoutwardly extending aligned front flanges 4I parallel to the back wall22a.

The bottom or back wall 42 of the spaced mem-. her is formed withopenings to receive fastening;

members such as bolts 43 passing through openings in the back wall 22afor fastening the spacing member 49 to said back wall. When thusattached to said back wall 22a, the chute 22 can receive only theregular size package of cigarettes 23.

Means is provided to adapt chamber 25 for reception of regular sizepackage of cigarettes. To this end, there is fixed to the front ofpartition 24, a longitudinal vertical spacing member or false back 45 ofchannel shape, and having outwardly extending wings or flanges 46 at thefront thereof. It will be noted (Fig. 10) that the partition 24terminates at substantially the level of wall 2! and that spacer member45 extends downwardly to a point somewhat above slot 261). Member 45 maybe fixed to the partition 24 by means of bolts, screws or any othersuitable fastening means 41.

Slidably mounted on wall l2 of the support are a plurality ofretractable spring pressed plungers or ejector members 59. The ejectorsare aligned with chutes 20 and 25. When the ejector mem bers are pulledforwardly, the lowermost package in the chutes drops. When the ejectorsare released, springs (not shown) push the ejectors rearwardly to pushthe lowermost packages in the chutes rearwardly out of the chutes tofall into position where the same may be removed by the purchaser.

It will be noted that when chamber 25 is loaded with regular sizepackages of cigarettes, there is a sizable space between the lowermostpackage in said chamber (Fig. 10) and wall 26. Because of the spacebetween the lowermost package 23 and wall 26, jogging or slightreciprocation back and forth of the ejector is liable to work the low-'ermost package 23, sufficiently loose to drop out of the chute.

Means is therefore. provided to prevent ejec'-,

tion of a package of cigarettes, unless the proper coins are inserted,and the ejector isretracted therefrom, overlapping slot 261) in wall 26and contacting the rear edge of the lowermost pack-:

age of cigarettes 23. On the pivot pin-52 about whichplate or member ispivoted, is a torsion spring 53, which normally urges plate" 5| for-'wardly into contact with the packages'of ciga-- Plate 5| is somewhatnarrower than slot rettes. 26b. Thus, even if the ejector 59 can bejogged, vibrated or reciprocated back and forthxslightly, neverthelessthe package 23 will alwaysbe pushed forwardly by plate 5|, so that itcannot be reased from the chute, unless the ejectoris fully retracted topermit the package to drop.

Whenking size packages are loaded in chute 25 (spacer being removed) thelowermost package cannot be jogged out because there is not sufficientclearance for the package to tilt.

'Means is provided to guide the lowermost package in chamber 25downwardly when it is ejected.

To this end, wall 26 is formed'with a pairof spaced ears on oppositesides of slot 26b, supporting a transverse pivot 54 above said slot, towhich is pivoted a plate 55 projecting downwardly andlikewiseoverlapping said slot. Spring 56 pushes the packages downwardly wherethey are ejected from the chute to the delivery chamber in base (notshown).

Means is provided to adapt the lower ends of each of chutes 20 forreception of regular size package of cigarettes 23. To-this end, thereis removably fixed to wall 26, and located on the inside of said chute,a vertical, longitudinal memher-60. The lower end of member 60 is some-vwhat above the lower edge of wall 26. Member 60 may be tubular in shape,and of generally rectangular cross-section. Extending from the vfrontwall 6| thereof, is an upwardly and rearwardly inclined lip 63, theupper end of-which partially overlaps slot 26a. The lower ends of sidewalls 64 of member 66 carry a transverse horizontal pivot pin 65 onwhich is hinged a plate 66 extending down below the lower edge ofwall26. Plate 66 is urged forwardly by a torsion spring 61 on pivot 65. Saidplate is adapted to contact the lowermost package in chute 20 to preventsurreptitious ejection of said package. ejector is vibrated or movedback and forth some- Supported by the side walls If the what in anattempt to gradually work the pack- Means is provided to retain theauxiliary chutes 22 in vertical position, in the rear of chambers I8,while thereare packages in the main'chutes" 20 above a predeterminedheight, and to swing said auxiliary chutes forwardly so that'the pack-.

ages therein maybe guided to the main chutes automatically upondepleting or exhausting the packagesin said mainchutesgto belowsaid-pre- |5-and |1,-'are brackets 12- formed with arcuate slots13..- j

As-the control means for each auxiliary chute 22 is similar only onethereof will be described: I Pivotedtothe'lower end of bracket. 12 aboutahOIlZOIlttlllpiVOt pin is a lever 15 having a rearwardly -projectingarm 16 formed with, a

shoulder :11 adjacent its rear end normally en.- gaging the lug 1|l -tohold the chute 22in vertical position. i I

Pivoted to the lower-end 0f-bracket 12, as on pivot 18 located at thecenter of curvature of slot. 13, is an arm 19 extending upwardlythroughslot 21a, and having an offset horizontal arm 19a. cn-z gagingthe back wall 22a of chute 22. Onarm 19 is a pin '80 projecting througharcuate s1ot 13. Pin 8|! is interconnected to wall 26by a coil tensionspring 8|. Spring 8| thus presses arm'19.

against the'chute 22 tending to swing the chute forwardly, -the chutebeing held back in its vertical position, however, by lever 15 ashereinabove explained.

Means is provided responsive to-ejection of packages by the ejector 50,to trip the lever 15 when the packages in chute 20-are exhausted tovbelow a. predetermined height, such means being inoperative to trip the.lever as long as there are packages in said chute above said height. To:this end, wall-26is formed with a pair of rearwardly extending ears 85,supporting a transverse shaft 86 on which is pivoted a downwardlyextending p1ate 81,'projecting below wall 26. On shaft .85 v is a coiltension spring 88 tending to swing plate;

81 forwardly. As each package of cigarettes is ejected,-plate 81 isswungback, the package being guided downwardly thereby to the deliverychambers I On plate 81 are a pair of rearwardly extending ears 89carrying a pivot pin parallel to and spaced of lever 15 is a pinprojecting through slot 93.-

When the plate 81 is in normal position, pin 96 is at the upper'end ofportion 94 of slot 93; The rear-:endof lever 15 is furthermore connectedto wall 26 by a downwardly inclined coil tension spring-91, tending-toswing said lever in a, counterclockwise'direction, as shown in thedrawings. On the rear of the upper end of wall 26 are a pair of similar,spaced brackets 98 supporting a transverse rod 99 located just belowwall 21. Pivoted on rod 99 is a-bell crank having one arm |0| projectingthrough slot 26a into chute 20 and inclined downwardly and forwardly;and a second arm .l02-inclined downwardlyand rearwardly, and contactingthe rear edge of arm 9|.

When there are packages in chute 20 above the level ofarm 10 I, said armwill contact the rear of one ofsaidpackages, causing arm |||2to pressarm 9|, and swing it about its pivot in a clockwise directionto retain.the pin 96 within the vertical portion '94 of slot- 93. As cigarettesare'ejected, and plate 81 is oscillated, arm 9l can only move up anddown while pin 96 slides inthe vertical: portion 94 .of slot 93, .Thus,while therearecigdetermined height. To this end, thereis fixedto'the-lower end of each-back wall-22a, a lugJO projectingdownwardlythrough the slot 2111.. Fixed .to the underside of wall 21, andextending downwardly therefrom, in alignment with walls Arm- 9| isformed adjacent- 4;. sie e packages m chute 26" above the hammer an m,the lever I5 am not be tripped asthe packages are ejected. However, whenthe packand dli'to the enga ement of pin 96' with shoulder 95a, lever 15will be tripped to disengage lug and permit arm 19 to swing the chuteforwardly, so that the packages therein may empty into chute 20.,

The packages descending into chute 20 will againswing member" I00 acounterclockwise directiong swing -ing' ar'm"9f in a clockwise directionabout itspivot point and moving pin 96 (iii shoulder 95a, and permittingspring 91 to swing lever in a counterclockwise direction, when all thepackages are out of chute 22, said chute; as well as chute may berefilled, and chute 22 may be swung back, so that the lug 'Hlwill againengage stop shoulder 1'! of the lever, and the-device is then back tonormal position.

It will be noted that arm 19a of member I9 serves to press wall 22?) ofchute 22 against wall 15 The arm being inclined forwardly as shown inFig. 5', the outer end of said arm contacts wall 22a adjacent the freeedge thereof, hence preventing twisting of the chute about itslongitudinal axis and insuring movement of the chut'ein aplaneper'pendicular to the aiiis of the pin 35.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in'which theseveral objects of thisinvention a're achieved, and which is welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might bemade in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illusti a'tive and not ina limitings'ense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a chamber having side walls,

aeratorsaid chamber, and pivoted means at the upper end of the chute topivotally connect the chute to said chamber, whereby the'lower end ofthe chute may be swung forwardly within said chamber, resilient means toswing said chute forwardly, releasable means to retain the chute againstswinging movement, means adapted to be moved by an article ejected fromthe lower end of the chamber to release said retaining means, and meanscontrolled by presence of articles ins'aid chamber to render saidreleasing means inoperative.

5i. In combination, a chamber having a front chute portion, a movablechute in the back portion of said chamber pivoted at its upper end tothe upper end of said chamber, spring means to urge said movable chuteto swing forwardly within' said chamber, means to retain said chuteagainst'forward swinging movement, means to trip said retaining means,and including a mem-' ber pivoted to said chamber and swingable in onedirection by an article ejectedfrom the lower end of the main chute, asecond member pivoted to the first member and formed with a slot, hav--ing an offset portion, means on said retaining means engaging withinsaid slot, resilient means to swing said second member in one directionabout its pivot to bring the slot engaging means into the oiiset portionof the slot, and means controlled by articles within said main chute toswing said second member in an opposite direction to bring said slotengaging means into the longitudinal portion of said slot.

5. In combination, a chamber having a front chute portion, a movablechute in the back portion of said chamber pivoted at its upper end tothe upper end of said chamber, spring means to urge said moyable chuteto swing forwardly within said chamber, means to retain said chuteagainst forward swinging movement, means to trip said retaining means,and including a menuber pivoted to said chamber and swingable in onedirection by an article ejected from the lower about its pivot to bringthe slot engaging means into the ofiset portion of the-slot, meanscontrolled by articles within said main chute to swing said secondmember in an opposite direcresilient means to swing said member aboutits pivot.

2. In combination, an open top chamber, a member attached to the back ofsaid" chamber, and having a forwardly extending flange disposed over.the open -top of said chamber and formed with a slot; a spring mountedon said flange, and having a finger passing downwardly through saidslot, and a chute within said chamber, said chute having pivotal meansat the upper end thereof engaging the top'of said chamber, whereby saidchutez'mey be swung forwardly within said chamber about said means, andsaid spring finger releasably engaging the upper end of said chute,

3f In" combination, a chamber, a chute within.

tion to bring said slot engaging means into the longitudinal portion ofsaid slot, and resilient means to swing said first member in a directionopposite to the direction in which it is swung by an ejected article.

6. In a dispensing device, a member forming a. chamber, the frontportion of which constitutes a main chute for articles to be dispensed,an auxiliary chute for similar articles within the rear portion of saidchamber swingable on said member about its upper end, whereby the lowerend of the auxiliary chute is movable into the main chute, a leverpivoted to said member, means on the auxiliary chute engageable by saidlever to retain said auxiliary chute Within the by said resilient meansinto the main chute, andmeans controlled by articles within the mainchute to render said tripping means inoperative.

7. In a dispensing device, a member forming a chamber, the front portionof which constitutes a main chute for articles to be dispensed, anauxiliary chute for similar articles within the rear portion of saidchamber swi'ngable on said member about its upper end, whereby the lowerend of the auxiliary chute is movable into the main chute, a lever.pivoted to said member, means on the auxiliary chute engageable by saidlever to retain said auxiliary chute within the rear portion of saidchamber, resilient means urging the auxiliary chute to swing into themain chute, a member pivoted to said first member, and adapted to .beswung by an article ejected from the lower end of the main chute, an armpivoted to said last mentioned member and formed with a slot having a,longitudinal portion, and an oil'- set portion, a pin on said leverpassing through said slot, and means pivoted to said first member andhaving a portion engageable by articles within the main chute, and asecond portion adapted to engage said arm, said pivoted means beingadapted to retain said arm in such position that the pin on'the leverwill be in, the longitudinal portion of said slot, as the second memberis oscillated, and resilient means urging said pivoted arm to swing in adirection for bringing the pin on the lever into the offset portion ofsaid slot, said resilient means being adapted to swing said arm intoposition for bringing the pin on the lever into said offset portion ofsaid slot, when the articlesin the main chute are dispensed to a pointbelow the article contacting portion of said pivoted means.

LOUIS STEINER. PE'I'ER. SETTECASI.

